Mercedes-Benz is a very old and conservative company, according to
Bob Hagin. Matt Hagin says that M-B's newest SUV is anything but
conservative in the performance arena.)

BOB - Sometimes a new car just doesn't make sense and the new
Mercedes ML55 sport/utility vehicle is one of them. Luxury SUVs are now
a pretty common phenomena but none can crack off 140 mph road speeds
like this new Mercedes. An SUV is, by conventional definition, a vehicle
that can be equally at home on a superhighway or a fire trail. This 342
horsepower ML55 is capable of great acceleration for an SUV and its
super-sticky 285/50R18 low-profile tires keep it glued to the road like
a sports car - up to a point. Even though its suspension system has been
"tweaked" a bit for better handling, it's still a tall vehicle built on
a truck-like chassis.

MATT - And with that tall commanding view of the road, an ML55
driver gets a birds-eye view of the other drivers he passes by,
hopefully using only a portion of its top speed. The ML55 is actually a
hot-rod version it the ML430 that came out a few years ago. The ML430
carries a 4.3-liter V8 engine, but the AMG version takes this engine and
expands it to 5.5 liter. It is then given a mechanical "massage" by AMG,
the performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz. AMG stands for Aufrecht
(the originator's name), Melter (another of the original owners) and
Grosspach, which is Aufrect's home town. The company used to be an
independent organization but over the years, its tie-in with Mercedes
got so close that M-B bought the whole company in '98. The V8 in the
ML55 is pretty sophisticated in its original form with two intake
valves, a single exhaust valve and two spark plugs per cylinder.

Bob - The AMG version puts out around 75 more horsepower than the
standard ML430 engine, and considerably more torque, which should give
it more "grunt" for going through the off-road rough stuff but I suspect
that most ML55 owner will not be storming up rocky backroads. The
standard tires are low-profile 18-inch performance units that would
be at home on the a supercar, yet with just enough tread to be able to
handle snow-covered mountain roads. The best bet would be a second set
of all-terrain tires on separate wheels so snow or mild off-roading
wouldn't destroy the performance tires that come standard.

MATT - So the owner would have to change the tires back and forth?
That sounds like a lot of work, Dad. This thing has systems to reduce
the risk of its driver getting into trouble on slippery roads. A
standard traction control system automatically sends a message to the
brakes to slow a slipping wheel and send power to the wheels with the
best grip. The all-wheel-drive system is separate, and it's full-time so
there are no levers to pull, buttons to push - nothing, except for a
dashboard button to engage the transfer case's low range gearing. I
can't see using it much, though.

BOB - The low gearing works well on slippery boat ramps or if the
ML55 is stuck in a snow bank, but you're probably right. Mercedes could
save money by eliminating the low range gearing. The upgrades to the
all-independent suspension is money well spent in my opinion. AMG added
different shock rates and tighter suspension springing to make it handle
better, even though the chassis is a truck-type full-length frame with
separate sub-frames front and rear. The front springing uses torsion
bars, while the rear springs are coils.

MATT - I'm sure M-B engineers would rather have started with more of
a race car chassis, but they did a great job with what is essentially a
truck. Inside, the comfort levels of the interior are in keeping with a
vehicle this expensive, but polished real wood on an SUV still puts me
off a bit. I did like the CD system that can not only play tunes but it
is integrated with a programmable navigation system that reads out on a
small dash-mounted screen.

MATT - Dad, I find that as you get older, you're more and more
impressed with vehicles that give the driver a road map.